BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn volleyball team had a dominant win in the Steinberg Wellness Center Sunday afternoon, as the Blackbirds handed first place Bryant their second NEC loss of the year in a 3-0 sweep, 25-15, 25-18, 25-15. The Blackbirds never trailed once in the victory, or allowed the Bulldogs to tie the score.

With the win, LIU improves to 7-2 in the Northeast Conference, and 8-12 overall. The Blackbirds now sit tied with the 7-2 Bulldogs in second place in the league, behind Sacred Heart at 7-1.

Coming into the match, revenge was the motive for LIU, as earlier this season, the Bulldogs' snapped LIU's nation's-best conference win streak with a 3-1 win at home. And Sunday afternoon, the Blackbirds avenged that loss, with a momentum that was clear from the first serve. A solo block by senior Tamara Ignjic started the game for LIU, and the Blackbirds took the early 6-1 lead, forcing the visiting team to call a timeout. It was to no avail, as LIU would widen the lead up to 10-4. Bryant used a kill to cut the gap to four points, 14-10, but the Blackbirds scored three straight to widen the lead back up to 17-10. LIU also used a 3-0 run to end the set. A kill from senior Nicole Okeke, followed by a solo block and a kill from Ignjic gave the Blackbirds the first set win, 25-15.

Set two followed a similar pattern, with LIU leaping out to an 8-2 lead. This time, Bryant managed to cut the lead to just one point, 15-14, but LIU called a timeout, and finished the set with strength. Alex Larsen subbed in, and gave the Blackbirds a needed spark. The junior had two kills, back-to-back service aces, and a block as a part of a 6-0 LIU run that would win the second set, 25-18.    

The late rally in set two seemed to set the Bulldogs back coming into set three, with the momentum clearly on LIU's side of the net. Senior Adriana Viñas Joy had three straight service aces to help propel LIU to an early 4-0 lead, that the Blackbirds eventually widened to 8-1. Another service ace from Ignjic helped LIU make it 10-2, and the Blackbirds dominated from there. The closest the visitors would come was 15-12, on a kill, before a 4-0 run put LIU up, 19-12. In the end, Larsen ended the match with a kill, giving the Blackbirds the 25-15 set win, and the 3-0 match victory.

Seniors Mirjana Rajic and Tamara Ignjic had nine kills each to lead the Blackbirds; Ignjic also had five blocks at the net. Senior Adriana Viñas Joy led the defense with 12 digs, and had four service aces, while junior Nicole Hopton had 27 assists. Junior Alex Larsen had five kills and two aces, while Nicole Okeke and Mengdi Zhao had six blocks apiece.

Up next, the Blackbirds will hit the road to take on the Pennsylvania contingent of the Northeast Conference. LIU will travel to take on Robert Morris and Saint Francis U., Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1. First serve for both games is at 1 p.m.